Stirring character portrayals, perverse humor and a touch of history all contribute to the charm of the off-beat musical "Assassins."
A production of UB's department of theater and dance, "Assassins" is a satire of the American dream, and those who just can't seem to find their place in it. The performance is successful in taking heavy subject matter, and dealing with it in a funny, thought-provoking manner.
"Assassins" opens with a song addressed to anyone who is frustrated - who can't "get" the girl, the car and the job. The song provides an answer to all of these problems, and it claims that to right these ills, all you need to do is shoot a president!
During the show we are introduced to nine assassins, some more successful than others. For 96 minutes the assassins give a glimpse of their desires, illnesses and, most importantly, their motives. The audience follows their failures and successes in opportunistic America, and is allowed to witness the events that brought infamy to these societal outcasts.
While the assassin characters all live during different eras, they come together on stage as partners in an elite fellowship. This odd chronological crossover made the sequence of the assassinations a bit difficult to follow, but doesn't detract from the play's central message.
"Assassins" aroused laughter for things that are normally serious matters. Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme and Sara Jane Moore, who want to assassinate President Gerald Ford, practice shooting using Colonel Sanders' head on a KFC bucket and gossip about "Charlie" (Manson of course!) as if he's the boy next door.
Charles Guiteau (via Michael Hartney), the man who assassinates President James Garfield, dances and sings gleefully while a noose is being prepared for his execution, and Giuseppe Zangara belts out one last song while strapped into the electric chair.
The slightly insane character, out-of-work tire salesman Samuel Byck (as played by Jason Biszick), induced a considerable amount of giggling. Dressed in a dingy Santa suit, Byck, who tried to kill President Richard Nixon by flying a plane into the White House, rants passionately about a man he once voted for.
These and other quirky nuances are easily understood in the intimate setting of the Black Box Theatre at the Center for the Arts. A small stage floor level and limited seating both foster an engaging performance. The accurate but not over-done costumes insure that the audience can recognize and differentiate between the characters and their places in history. Props are sparse, which works well; the show's talented cast has no need for excess.
Finally, the musical concludes with each pathetic character reaffirming the reasons for their actions, followed by a scene where the assassins try to convince a depressed man in Texas to assassinate President John F. Kennedy.
When the lights dim on the cast for the last time, it is clear what this musical wanted its audience to take a look at - a witty and complex commentary on the fame these people seek, and those of us who appropriately shine it upon them.
